fatty acids. The liver functions as an energy storage and buoyancy. The shark’s liver makes up anywhere from 5% to 25% of its total body weight. This is one of the main reasons why sharks can stay afloat. The great white shark has a very basic eye structure, but laterally compressed. The lens is relatively large and spherical. They are well suited for seeing in dim light and are particularly sensitive to moving objects. They can see in dim light because of the abundance of rods; therefore, the great white can identify between light and shadow. The eye has a layer of reflecting plates called the tapetum lucidum behind the retina. They act as mirrors to reflect light back through the retina again; moreover, they have better sight than cats. A shark’s pupil is able to dilate and even contract. Few cones are present, so we know that shark can barely distinguish colors. Discussing matters with color, the shark’s color has a great advantage. In most sharks, especially the great white, the ventral side is white in color and the top and sides vary in shades of brown and blue. The great white is on the dorsal and lateral sides. The countershading is an essential type of countershading; the dorsal side is darker, and the ventral is lighter. The light ventral side blend in with the lighter surface of the sea if you view the great white shark from below. If viewing the great white from the surface looking down, the blue blends with the depths of the ocean. Thus, predators or prey cannot tell the difference if the shark is approaching them. The great white sharks have used the water properties to their own advantage. To overcome the drag and resistance, the shark uses thrusts. The shark does this by “swishing” its body and tail. This is possible by the third law of motion: “when a force on a body causes an action, it is opposed by an equal and opposite reaction.” While the shark is swimm...
